[HELP] Giving Chevy UVA for servicing

Hi,

I'm planning to give my Chevy UVA for servicing in the comming weekend in Hyderabad.

I bought this (April 2007 modle) car (my first) 6 months back and I could feel a lot of difference in the performance of the car.  It is no more smooth and I hear a lot of noises and the milage too dropped drastically (With 500/- petrol I used to enjoy the drive for the whole week [12.8 KM; checked tank full to tank full] but now it hardly lasts 4 days).

Noise (1). Rattling from the AC blower directional change panel(please give the technical term to this )

Noise (2). Rattling from the fitting below the front left side window beside the door opener (again the technical term..)

Noise (3). 'qeeeeeeek' sound from the bonnet when A/C is switched on.

Noise (4). 'qeeeeeeek' sound from the bonnet (or somewhere from the tires/axle) when I'm taking a sharp/U turn.

My left beamer(light) is gone.  This happened on the very day I took the car (for unknown reason).  I do not want to tell the servicing guy that my light is gone.  Can I say 'check if there is a loose connection in the wires'?

One of my friends just drove the car for 5 minutes and he said that there is something wrong with the break shoe(hope I'm using the right word).  I did not feel any thing bad about the break.  It stops whenever I tell it to stop. What words should I use to convey this to the mechanic.

Another friend of mine who sat in my car for 20 minutes on a very very hot and sunny day said that my A/C is not cooling well and suggested me to get the Acids checked. Again, what should I say to the mechanic.

I do not want to put a pose of car-illiterate while giving the car for servicing because I fear that they will charge me for unnecessary stuff if they get that I dont know any thing about the cars.

Please help me with the technical terms and the general way of dealing the 'Giving car for servicing' situation and if possible a sort of check list of things to watch for on before and after giving the car for servicing too.

Thanks in advance,

Chandu.

As this would be a paid service(correct me if its not): lets keep the 'problems' realistic and simple.

Ask for:

-routine service for the Km's run(please mention that also) +

1)trim rattle in the AC louver and the front door

2)AC blower cleaning(if needed) and a check of the refrigerant(there are no acids involved), also ask them  to take a look at the compressor belt and the fan belt, and adjust if required.

3)Check the headlamp bulb(dont mention the wiring as the bulb will be much cheaper to replace than any part of the wiring component).

4)check the brake pads.

That should do-disregard all types of fancy engine coating/extra polishing/interior shampoo etc-all that at the dealer is a sham.

Check the air pressure in the tyres and then do a rerun for FE issues.

Thanks a lot for the reply Binoy.

Couple of doubts.

[routine service for the Km's run(please mention that also) +]  - You mean, I need to mention the number of KMs run since the last service to the mechanic?

[Check the air pressure in the tyres and then do a rerun for FE issues.] - what's FE?

- Chandu

Do tell us how many Kms the car has run till now-for some suggestions on the routine maintenance for the car.

FE-fuel efficiency(depends a lot on the air pressure in the tyre's).

You mean 2nd hand?  In that case, the 18/24-month warranty / free services are over (as pointed out by Binoy).

In case it's 2007 model purchased new from the dealer 6 months back (as it first occurred/sounded to me), the warranty & free services will commence from the date of purchase (irrespective of the model).

It ran for around 32k Kms.

FE...oh yeah...I almost forgot abt the air in the tires part.  I will get the optimal numbers for front n rear from mechanic (you guys have any suggestions?).  This is really helping...tnx guys.

I dont think it will be a free service.

One more thing is that the right side mirror with which we see the people coming on the back and beside (jeez...I didn't know that I'm this bad with the terminology) is broken;  not the whole set, but just the glass gracefully detached itself from the set.  Some are saying that I need to replace the whole set and some are saying I can just get the new glass.  What do you guys say??

-Chandu

This is the ORVM-replacing the unit as such will be costly-try and get the mirrow only.

Hi,

The servicing is done.  So, I just wanted to post my experience.

I went to Orange auto Pvt. Ltd., Sanathnagar, Hyderabad.

When I entered the compound, the security guard showed me the place to park.  I parked the vehicle and waited out side the car for nearly 7 minutes looking at the group of people chit chatting wearing sky blue shirts.  When I felt that no one is interested to come forward to attend me I took a proactive step to approach the group then one of the guys walked towards me then crossed me and started writing the car number on the job card.  I said 'Hi' and that guy looked at my face and said .....nothing.

Okkkay! typical Hyderabadi.

From here onwards every thing is proactive no initiative from the guy.  I started telling him the problems, which I had already written on a paper(just in case if I forget the terminology). The guy (service Advisor), didn't get the terms Rattling and ORVM.  So, I said noise in the door and he started slamming the door and I told him that we need to go for a test ride to listen to the noises.  He called up a mechanic and that guy smartly told what to write in the job card and the mechanic showed the origination of the rattle in the door and in the dashboard to the service Advisor.

After the test run, we went into the office and there the service Adviosr opened the servie history of my car (which showed 1 major and 1 minor accidental jobs, which the previous owner of the car kept secret from me) and the shocking thing is that the previous service was done at 15,000 KMs. No servie at 20k and 25k (By the time I bought the car it ran 27k).  Now it is 31,200KM. So, had to replace air and fuel filters, and the spark plug.  The service advisor was sure that if I do not go for the replacement of these the car will break down in between.  Okkay....people in Hyderabad are not so friendly to push the car to atleast side of the road.  So, I said change them.

I gave the car at 11:15AM on Saturday and they said it will be ready by Sunday afternoon 1PM.

I got a call from the floor incharge saying that I need to change the break pads otherwise the drum/disk's life time will be reduced drastically.  I said okay, the pads cost around 1500/-

Pity me I was expecting a call from them when the vehicle is ready instead I had to call them at 3:30PM.  Some one picked up and took my number saying that he would call to let me know the status.  I had call after 30mins and this time a lady picks up and again asks for my number so that should would call and let me know the status.  Okay, I gave the number again and this time I did get the call saying that they are addressing the noise in the door and the vehicle would be ready by 5:30 PM.

I was at the service station at 5:20PM.  I could hardly find a person in the office.  All the front desk seats are empty.  I had to look around for more than 10 mins and found a service advisor.  I told him the vehicle number.  He took the job card and glanced at it and just went off without uttering a single word.  From the office I could see my vehicle being taken for water wash by a kid(I'm sure he is below 18)...like a toy...with sudden breaks...making lots of sounds...scaring the other cars parked around....mmm.

Water wash??? after the customer is there at the correct time you told him to pickup the vehicle???

I'm unable to post the whole story here.  Please read the remaining story at http://z-from-a.blogspot.com/2009/04/chevrolet-uva-servicing-experience.html.

Ravi - from your account one thing is clear, you are unlike any 'hyderbadi'-your patience is commendable-hats off to you.

Few observations:

-was this a GM dealer associated service station?

-why was the car left overnight as yours was a regular service?

sad to hear that there was accident damage to the car.

That was an awful experience.  Sorry to hear that.

But would like to mention one thing here... you have detailed/drafted your experience very well.